1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a computer-implemented assessment tool and more specifically to a system and method for automated testing and learning, and automated performance evaluation of a user""s comprehension of a given subject matter and user""s cognitive and learning style.
2. Description of the Related Art
Evaluating an individual""s comprehension of a subject matter is, or should be, part of every organized educational process. Students are tested on comprehension of subject matters through tests, such as standardized tests (e.g., SAT, GMAT, ACT, and LSAT), single-application tests given in classroom settings, and the like. The number of correct answers obtained by a student typically correlates to the student""s level of comprehension.
Computer-implemented tests are also available to enhance learning. Interactive software applications are available, which provide a user, for example, a series of multiple choice questions. Feedbacks on the number of correct answers and possible explanation why a certain multiple choice is the best answer are also presented to the user.
Games have also been used to educate people, as can be seen with the proliferation of educational games available in the market today. For example, computer-implemented games that teach young children math or reading skills are available. Games assisting children and even adults on how to use the keyboard or improve their typing skills are also available in the market today.
Currently, there is a constant demand for tools that assist educators to efficiently and quickly deploy teaching materials for use by individuals, whether this is in a game environment or in a test-like environment. In particular there is a need for scaleable online systems wherein the data collected from an individual user can be analyzed by a computer system in real time and used to drive logical presentation of content to that user. In particular, the presentation of content formatted in different ways should be optimized to each user""s preferred cognitive style, or learning style, in order to increase the effectiveness of the educational experience.
A related challenge pertaining both to scaleable learning systems and to real time customization of content in online learning, is the development of assessment systems that are simple and straightforward enough in their implementation to allow widespread use by educators (in creating the assessments) who may have limited computer savvy, can accurately measure conceptual understandings, can compute performance online efficiently and in real time, and can use the results of these computations to drive decisions on what content options to present to each user. It is important, in this context, to distinguish between xe2x80x98linearxe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98conceptualxe2x80x99 assessment tools. Multiple-choice formats (the most common online assessment formats at the present time) are severely limited in that they tend to measure xe2x80x98linearxe2x80x99 understandings. The present invention provides methods, computer products and a computer apparatus for implementing assessments that measure deeper relational, or conceptual, understandings.
Psychologists have determined that many factors contribute to the way people learn. Classifications of various learning styles have also been proposed. Gregorc, a well-known investigator in this field, has described four types of learning styles. Table I below shows four classifications adapted from Gregorc: traditional, intuitive, administrative, and investigative.
A person who falls under the xe2x80x9cconcretexe2x80x9d column is generally detail-oriented. One who falls under the xe2x80x9cabstractxe2x80x9d column is generally conceptual, that is, typically learns by analogy and by understanding the xe2x80x9cbig picture.xe2x80x9d One who falls under the xe2x80x9cformalxe2x80x9d column tends to be rule-based and understands a subject matter by understanding rules. One who falls under the xe2x80x9copen-endedxe2x80x9d column unlike the xe2x80x9cformalxe2x80x9d type tends to accept rules conditionally.
Determining a person""s learning style is important in enabling educators to present information or content in a manner best suited to that person. Determining a person""s learning style, however, takes time and may involve several types of evaluations and analyses.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,952, issued to Minkus, describes a method and apparatus for automated learning tool selection for child development. In this invention, a number of available products, such as toys, games, books, and the like, are analyzed and the product data collected are entered into a computer system. A questionnaire regarding the child is then filled out and analyzed. The child data collected from the questionnaire, which may include preferences and skill level information, are also entered into the system. The child data is then matched against the product data and a list of products matching the characteristics of the child is produced. The system described in the above-mentioned patent, however, may be time and resource consuming. A simple and fast way to determine an individual""s learning style is thus highly desirable.
From the discussion above, it is apparent that there is a need for a system or method to easily deploy or make available assessment materials, whether they be in a test or game environment, as well as a way to easily determine a person""s learning style. In addition, a tool that easily measures a person""s comprehension of a given subject matter is also needed. The present invention fulfills this need.
The present invention provides a method of evaluating a user""s learning style. The user is presented with a series or a number of interactive assessment exercises, wherein each exercise contains one or more clues, a number of correct cards, and a number of incorrect cards. The user""s responses, which include the types and number of moves made, time it takes to select another card, and the like, are received, recorded, or captured. The user""s responses are then evaluated and used in a learning style formula to determine the learning style of that user. More specifically, the present invention provides a computer-implemented method for evaluating a user""s learning style through a specific series of steps. These steps include presenting one or more interactive assessment exercises to a user wherein each interactive assessment exercise displays a global objective or clue, a number of correct cards displaying distinct textual or graphical content, and a number of incorrect cards displaying distinct textual or graphical content, wherein a relationship of content displayed on the cards to the global objective or clue is stronger for correct cards than for incorrect cards and wherein the number of incorrect cards is greater than the number of correct cards, collecting responses from a user and evaluating the user""s learning style based on the responses collected from the user. For example, a user""s learning style may be derived from a computation of percentage thinking time and/or search linearity.
In another aspect of the invention, the invention provides for a method of evaluating a user""s comprehension of a certain topic or subject matter. The user is presented with an interactive assessment exercise, wherein such exercise contains one or more clues, a number of correct cards, and a number of incorrect cards. The user""s responses, which include the number of moves and the time it takes to successfully complete the game, are received, recorded or captured. The user""s responses are then evaluated and used to determine the user""s comprehension based on the number of moves made and the time it takes to complete the game successfully. More specifically, the present invention provides a computer-implemented method for evaluating a user""s comprehension of content by presenting one or more interactive assessment exercises to a user, collecting responses from the user and evaluating the user""s comprehension of content based on a computation of percentage correct moves and/or test response time.
The present invention also provides for systems, which provide the functions and features described above. The present invention also provides for computer software products or an apparatus that provides the functions and features described above. More specifically, the present invention provides for an apparatus for evaluating a user""s learning style, comprising (a) a computer having a server mechanism installed therein for receiving responses from a user, the user supplying responses from a client computer; the server mechanism containing a first logic device for transmitting to the client computer, a plurality of interactive assessment exercises for presentation to the user wherein each interactive assessment exercise displays a global objective or clue, a number of correct cards displaying distinct textual or graphical content, and a number of incorrect cards displaying distinct textual or graphical content, wherein a relationship of content displayed on said cards to said global objective or clue is stronger for correct cards than for incorrect cards and wherein the number of incorrect cards is greater than the number of correct cards (b) the server mechanism containing a second logic device for receiving data from the client computer which represent responses from said user from said plurality of interactive assessment exercises; and (c) a third logic device coupled to the second logic device for evaluating said user""s learning style based on said received responses from said user.
Considering that users at one time or another have played with cards, the interface of using cards to evaluate a user""s comprehension and learning style is simple and fun to use. In addition, the invention is very useful because a person""s learning style is quickly evaluated by just taking a number of interactive assessment exercises.
Other features and advantages of the present invention should be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment, which illustrates, by way of example, the principles of the invention.